


In the Beginning

by Meandsushiroll



Series: Rintori Week 2017 [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Childhood, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Prince!Rin, rintori week 2017, servant!Ai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-04 00:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10978758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meandsushiroll/pseuds/Meandsushiroll
Summary: In the beginning, when they were children, Ai really believed that Prince Rin and he would be married. Even if the King and Queen would never let their son and heir to many a servant, but Prince Rin still proposed.First in a series on the love story of a prince and a commoner.(late) Rintori Week 2017- Red/Blue and Childhood





	In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very late but I did want to contribute at least to Rintori Week 2017. I hope you all enjoy it!

In the beginning, when they were children, Ai really believed that Prince Rin and he would be married. He knew, even back then, that it was silly. His head told him that this dream, the one he kept aflame secretly in his heart, was impossible.

 

The King and Queen would never let their son and heir to many a servant.

 

Ai knew that it was a privilege to be so close to the prince, that he was selected as a companion. Even if he was a Nitori, part of the family that had loyally devoted their lives to the crown for generations, he was a commoner, a penniless servant. It could never happen.

 

But Prince Rin has chosen him to be his friend; had played with him, shared meals with him, and liked him the way he was, noble or not. And Ai was closer to Prince Rin than even his own family, he wanted to _be_ the prince’s family. He was his best friend, bright and brilliant and so very, very kind. He was the prince, his hero, what he aspired to be. He could make anything happen.

 

Prince Rin wanted to marry him, so he would make it happen. Ai’s head understood that it was impossible, but his young heart believed in his prince more than anything else.

* * *

 

The gentle morning sunbeams seemed to hide Rin as he snuck away from the guards or his mother’s garden with and made his way to the brown, slightly dull housing block of servants’ quarters. Compared to the palace and the royal gardens, the old houses and small vegetable patches almost seemed like a different world, one he seldom step foot in. But today he would, he was on a mission.

 

His legs carried him to the cluster of homes that sat a little away from the others, smile growing as he spotted a small figure with pretty silver hair sweeping in the pale sunlight. He stood in the bushes at the edge of their block, just enough to be hidden by passers-by, growling in a pattern that caused Ai’s head to snap up at attention. He turned around towards Rin, who grinned at him from the shadows.

 

Ai’s eyebrows shot up before he took a quick look around him and placed the broom down, running up to the thrush.

 

“Good morning your highness!” He bowed quickly, a confused smile on his face. “What on earth are you doing here?”

 

“Here, these are for you!” Rin said, holding out the fruits of his early morning labor, chest swelled up with pride, “I picked them myself, if you can imagine! They’re just like your eyes.”

 

Ai couldn’t help but blush as he looked at the crude bouquet before taking it in his hands, breathing in the sweet scent of the beautiful blue flowers.

 

“Thank you, your highness,” he said, looking in his hand in awe. He felt his heart beat strangely faster, eyes looking up to meet the prince’s, “They’re really beautiful, but why-”

 

“Mary me! Rin almost demanded, all the confidence of royalty in his voice.

 

“E-excuse me?”

 

“I want you to marry me! I know we have to wait until we’re older, but we can promise now.”

 

“Marry you?” Ai blinked in confusion, cheeks warm. He wasn’t like the prince, he wasn’t taught about things like this, what was he supposed to say? He looked from the flowers to his prince’s face. “You want…me?”

 

Rin scoffed and reached to ruffle Ai’s head. “Who else would it be but you silly! Mother said I have to start thinking about marriage, after all I’m almost thirteen now! She’s been talking to me about it and said I should start thinking about who I’m going to spend every day with forever and ever and _ever_.” He whined, finishing his sentence in a distinctly unprincely manner. “I spend every day with you already, so it’s perfect! It would be just like it is now, but you would live in the castle with me.”

 

Ai eyes went wide with awe and suddenly he could only look anywhere but Prince Rin. That the prince would even _think_ of Ai as someone who could live in the castle was overwhelming, never mind marriage. He took a few deep breaths, trying to process it all. What would his parents think of this? Was he even allowed to make this choice? What was he supposed to do?

 

“Please,” he felt a warm hand reach out to cover one of his around the bouquet. Blue eyes met red ones, looking more gentle and vulnerable than he’d ever seen them. “Please say yes.”

 

Ai only blinked once before his lips curled into a small smile as he saw the look on Rin’s face. This was his best friend, his idol, the prince of the whole country. And he wanted Ai. His prince risked his pride because he wanted Ai to spend forever and ever with him. More than anyone else.

 

“Yes, your highness.” He said, chest growing warm and smiling even more. “I would be honored to marry you.”

 

Rin’s smile was almost too big for his face.

 

“You promise?” he said, stepping closer to Ai, faces now only a few inches apart.

 

Ai smiled and nodded, before his eyes lit up with what Rin knew to be an idea. He plucked one of the flowers from the bunch, examining it to make sure it was perfect, if it was worthy, before reaching up and placing it in Rin’s hair.

 

Rin’s face, blushing and framed with the same blue of Ai’s eyes in the midst of his long red hair was the most beautiful thing he ever saw.

 

“I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a comment if you want more, it fuels the muse!


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